Istudents' Use and Evaluation of College Libraries in Crawford
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Students’ Use and Evaluation of College Libraries in Crawford University, Nigeria 1 2 Elizabeth Bukunola Lateef , Akinkunmi Oluseun Omotoso & Bolanle Oluyemisi Fagbola3 The Library, Crawford University,Igbesa, Ogun State,Nigeria1, Nimbe Adedipe Library, Federal University of Agriculture,Abeokuta, Nigeria2, National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria3 1 2 3 [email protected] , [email protected] [email protected] Abstract Purpose: College libraries in universities complement the efforts of main libraries in information provision to students and faculty members. They provide prompt reference opportunity and bring library and information services closer to users. This study assessed the level of usage and users’ assessment of college libraries at the Crawford University, Nigeria. Methodology: The study evaluated the users’ level of satisfaction with the resources and services of the two college libraries in the university. The respondents were undergraduate students at their various levels of study, 100-400 levels. 200 students were randomly selected for the study and corresponding copies of the questionnaire were administered on them to gather data. A total of 194 (87%) responses were received. Findings: The results indicated that the students use their college libraries sparingly; they use the libraries less for references and other academic purposes but more for relaxation in between lectures and to discuss with mates and friends. However, the respondents rate the information resources, services and facilities of the libraries as fair. The study concluded that the resources and services of the college libraries are poorly used and used less for academic purposes. This may not be unconnected with the fair rating of the libraries by the respondents. Implications: The research emphasised that there should be adequate awareness on the benefits of using the college libraries to students as it was discovered that the level of usage was poor. Originality/Value: The study proffered recommendations among which are guided tour of the libraries during the fresh students’ orientation programme; improvement in the user education course of the University, it should made more practical; and motivation of staff of the library in order to make them more pleasant and responsive to users’ services and needs. Keywords: User evaluation; User satisfaction; User study; College libraries; Crawford University, Nigeria advancement of knowledge. A well-stocked Introduction library helps enhance teaching and research. Arthur, Brafi, and Kuranchie (2013) described Students use the library to augment the academic libraries as high ways to the forest of knowledge garnered in the classroom, faculty intellectual ideas. Libraries serve as the also use it to enhance their teaching and powerhouse for academic activities by carefully research. Adeniran (2011) posited that academic selecting, processing and storing relevant libraries in tertiary institutions serve two information that could be retrieved to meet both complementary purposes. They support academic and leisure demands of all members of universities curricular and research activities of the university community. The primary reason faculty members and students. Furthermore, for establishing libraries in Universities is to Banting et.al (2008) stated that academic support the teaching, learning and research libraries play significant roles towards the activities of their parent organization. The achievement of the goals of tertiary institution. library plays a vital role in assisting the They further stated that academic institutions University to fulfill its basic objectives. By would hardly be able to provide for the making information materials available for use, a academic, intellectual and information needs of well-equipped University library is staff and students without the services of good indispensable for the transmission and libraries. These are because library and 67 | P a g e Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology, 9 (2) (2016) Students’ Use and Evaluation of College Libraries in Crawford University, Nigeria A college library is meant to bring information information services have been noted as services to the door steps of the users. It is, essential to the accomplishment of researches therefore, expected to enjoy high patronage and successful teaching and learning. especially if it is well equipped and adequately Library of a university initially had the sole staffed. In an academic community, students, responsibility of providing needed services to lecturers and researchers are always the few members of staff and students in the few encouraged to visit the library frequently if established departments. However, with time, materials that can satisfy their information more departments were created and resulting in needs are available and the library staff is user increase in the population of users attended to by friendly. Abubakar (2007) averred that the the main library. Bozimo (1992) describes adequacy of information will normally prompt libraries in tertiary institutions as the a reaction to its use particularly by the nerve/centre of activities that hold the key academia. This will stimulate progress and resources for departments in the teaching and development in the overall system. For learning process. Since the academic effective learning, teaching and research in the departments will have to patronize the main university, the library information resources library for needed information, there is a should be relevant, current and in a variety of tendency towards failing to satisfy users, thus formats such as text books, journals, the need for departmental or faculty libraries. In magazines, indexes and abstracts, a related study, Bassey (2006) reveals that encyclopedia, government publications, dissatisfaction among users of the library is due publications of international organisations, largely to inadequate information resources and theses and dissertations, research and technical services or poor attitude of its staff. With the reports, microforms and electronic databases. growth and development of the university, the Evaluation is a systematic and objective main library is often not in a position to provide assessment of an ongoing or completed project the needed resources and services to users or programme. The aim of evaluation in a adequately and this calls for supplementary library setting is to find out whether or not the efforts or services which departmental libraries objectives of the library are being achieved and are established for. also to know if the information needs of the College or departmental library, according to users are met. Evaluation of library resources Prytherch (2000), is a library in a college or and services is a measure of quality assurance. university which is established apart from the Fidzani, (1998) Quality assurance demands main library, and is restricted to one subject or that, libraries from time to time need to be group of related subjects. College or assessed and evaluated by its users. The users' departmental library is also known as branch satisfaction is considered to be a reliable library, faculty library and laboratory benchmark for determining library collection. Uhegbu (1989) submits that it is a effectiveness. Users' information needs are met special reading room with selected collection in in an effective way by providing standard but the department’s subject groups for the benefit suitable library services that they need. Users' of the students and teaching staff of that assessment can provide invaluable information particular college or department and others who to libraries in re-orienting their collections, wish to make use of the materials on services and activities for effectively meeting permission. This is usually housed in a separate their information needs. Osburn (1992) building outside the main library. The reasons Periodic collection assessment is necessary to for establishing college and departmental determine to what extent library collections are libraries, according to Uhegbu (1989), are: relevant, current and adequate in meeting the general increase in the total population of information needs of users. students admitted; proliferation in the number To determine whether the objectives of the of departments being created; geographical library are met, according to Bassey (2006), the distances between various schools and views, opinions, and perception of the library departments within an institution due to users should be sought. In other words, any expansion; and struggle towards subject library that wants to improve its resources and specialized collection for effective accessibility services must solicit the help of its users to of information. identify areas of weakness in order to improve upon them. On the adequacy of library 68 | P a g e Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology, 9 (2) (2016) 1 2 3 Elizabeth Bukunola Lateef , Akinkunmi Oluseun Omotoso & Bolanle Oluyemisi Fagbola resources and services, Aguolu and Aguolu academic programmes as well as facilitating (2002) showed that it is the size of a collection, research by members of the University combined with its quality that ensures its community and its immediate neigbourhood. It adequacy. Thus, adequacy of any collection has stocks books, journals, and other relevant both qualitative and quantitative dimensions. materials in all areas of knowledge especially those that are pertinent to